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Study suggests looming antibiotic problem within Latino community The findings of an MUSC study published in the June issue of the Center for Disease Control’s journal, Emerging Infectious Diseases, suggests there may be a large, unrecognized public health problem on America’s front porch.   The amount of antibiotics consumed in a community is directly related to the amount of antibiotic resistance found in that community. Inappropriate use of antibiotics, particularly for respiratory infections, is a major public health issue called antimicrobial resistance. The pool of antibiotics not prescribed by doctors entering the U.S. is currently unknown, like the acquisition of those antibiotics within communities whose health beliefs and practices might be inconsistent with the U.S. public health community.   Study author Arch G. Mainous, Ph.D., MUSC Family Medicine research director, and his colleagues conducted face-to-face interviews with 219 Latino adults in Charleston and focused on health beliefs and behaviors concerning the importation of antibiotics without a prescription, as well as acquisition of antibiotics without a prescription in the U.S.   Many (30.6 percent) felt that antibiotics should be available in the U.S. without a prescription. Approximately 16.4 percent transported antibiotics without a prescription into the U.S. while 19.2 percent acquired antibiotics in the U.S. without a prescription. More than 20 percent said it would be likely or very likely that they would purchase antibiotics on their next trip outside the U.S. and bring them back without seeing a doctor first.   The study confirms the existence of a large reservoir of antibiotics in the U.S. not prescribed by doctors and used inappropriately for self-medication in the Latino community. In addition to importation, many of the antibiotics come from small stores, revealing an organized system of antibiotic distribution among the U.S. Latino community without prescription. Friday, June 3, 2005 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community Press at 849-1778.